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Hello.
See you next week, then.
Don't read while you eat.
Is it good?
I added less water than last week. Maybe that's why it's better.
You hardly eat. You don't look well, you know.
Want something else? Some fruit?
We got a letter from Aunt Fernande in Canada.
I'll read it to you.
“Dear Jeanne and Sylvain,
I'm sorry I've taken so long to write back.
I often think of you and Belgium.
But I've been so busy with the kids starting back to school,
and suddenly I realized winter's here.
It's been snowing a lot, and I hardly get out.
The roads were so bad that the kids couldn't go to school last Friday,
and I'm at home most of the time,
because without a car, you get bogged down.
Jack says he'll teach me to drive next year.
The distances are simply too huge here.
He says I'm in Canada now and I should act like the locals.
The women here all drive, but I'm afraid I'll never learn.
But now all the cars are completely covered by snow.
The children are fine, big and strong.
Real Canadians, just like Jack.
I fear Jane may get too tall, but anyway, she's fine.
I hope you'll come see them this summer.
We have a large guest room, and Sylvain can sleep with his cousin.
Maybe we can introduce you to someone.
Jack says you should remarry, that a good-looking woman shouldn't be alone.
George has been dead six years now.
We know you're very brave and you say you'd rather stay single
so as not to complain.
But sometimes when I think of you, tears come to my eyes.
Well, Jack will be home soon and the table's not set yet,
so I'll say good-bye now, with a hug for you both.
Your loving sister and aunt, Fernande.
PS: I sent a birthday present for Jeanne last month by boat.”
I wonder what that present could be.
Would you like to go to Canada?
“The Enemy,” by Charles Baudelaire.
“My youth was but a gloomy storm
With occasional flashes of dazzling sun
Thunder and rain have created such havoc
That little scarlet fruit remains in my garden
Now I've reached the autumn of my thoughts
And I have to use...”
The spade.
“And I have to use the spade and rake
To reclaim a bit of the flooded land
Where the water digs holes large as tombs.”
Once more.
“The Enemy,” by Charles Baudelaire.
“My youth was but a gloomy storm
With occasional flashes of dazzling suns
Thunder and rain have created such havoc
That little scarlet fruit remains in my garden
Now I've reached the autumn of my thoughts
And I have to use the spade and rake
To reclaim a bit of the flooded land
Where the water digs holes large as tombs.”
You're picking up the accent more and more.
I know. I can even pronounce the Rs like Yan,
and no one laughs at me at school anymore.
Perhaps,
but nobody forced you to go to the Flemish school.
Yes, I know - your friend.
I wonder if you can still say your Rs like me.
And now, the Bagatelle for Piano No. 27, Opus 126 in A Minor, by Beethoven,
“Für Elise,” played by Suzanne Duchêne.
Come have a look.
You want it long, don't you?
I'm almost out of yarn.
- This is Tuesday, isn't it? - Yes.
You're always reading, just like your father.
I know. You already told me.
How did you meet my father?
Why do you ask that now?
I just read the word “miracle,”
and Aunt Fernande always said it was a miracle she met Jack.
Yes, he came in '44 to liberate us.
They tossed chewing gum and chocolates to us,
and we threw flowers to them.
I met your father after the Americans had left.
I was living with my aunts, because my parents were dead.
One Saturday, I went to the Bois de la Cambre with a girlfriend.
I don't remember the weather.
She knew him. You know who I mean. I've shown you her picture.
So we began seeing each other.
I was working as a billing clerk for horrible pay.
Life with my aunts was dull. I didn't feel like getting married,
but it seemed to be “the thing to do,” as they say.
My aunts kept saying, “He's nice. He's got money.
He'll make you happy.”
But I still couldn't decide.
But I really wanted a life of my own, and a child.
Then his business suddenly hit the rocks, so I married him.
Things like that happened after the war.
My aunts had changed their minds.
They said a pretty girl like me could do better
and find a man who'd give me a good life.
They said he was ugly and so on, but I didn't listen.
If he was ugly, did you want to make love with him?
Ugly or not, it wasn't all that important.
Besides, “making love,” as you call it, is merely a detail.
And I had you. And he wasn't as ugly as all that.
Would you want to remarry?
No. Get used to someone else?
I mean someone you love.
Oh, you know
Well, if I were a woman,
I could never make love with someone I wasn't deeply in love with.
How could you know? You're not a woman.
Lights out?
All right.
Sleep well.
End of the first day
Did you wash your hands?
Couldn't I have a little more today?
Thank you, ma'am.
How are you, ma'am?
Fine, thanks. Could you fix these by tomorrow?
My son's wearing his other pair,
but his feet get soaked when it rains.
They're last year's shoes.
I'll have a look.
And the heels too while I'm at it.
All right. How's tomorrow at 4:00? - Fine.
- How's your boy doing? - Just fine.
You're happy with him? He listens to you?
Good.
What would I do without him?
They'll be ready tomorrow at 4:00.
Hello. It's been a long time.
Stop by for coffee this afternoon.
I can't today. Maybe next week.
All right. See you then.
Hello.
Here he is.
You weren't eating, were you?
What are you making for dinner?
Wednesdays it's breaded veal with peas and carrots.
I had no idea what to make today.
Myself, I'd be fine with just bread and butter.
I don't have much appetite ever since I started smoking.
But the children need meat, so I went to the butcher's.
There was a long line.
I always think I should go earlier or later to avoid the line,
but this time, I thought,
“I'll listen to what other women order. I might get some ideas. ”
But I got even more discouraged.
One ordered ground meat.
I thought, “Probably for meat loaf,
but I just served that yesterday with apple sauce.
Then I thought, “No, she'll make hash.” But hash again...
When my tum came, I still hadn't decided.
So I ordered the same thing as the woman in front of me
and wound up paying 300 francs for two pounds of veal.
It's a good two days' worth, and none of us really like veal.
So the kids tum up their noses once again.
People say veal has no vitamins.
And you can't eat fish these days - it can kill you.
If only they didn't come home for lunch every day,
but my husband says the food at school isn't good,
and they're small for their age as it is.
I tell you, if it were up to just me...
But he'll be gone all next week.
I'll miss him, you know?
I'll stay at my mother's,
so they'll have to get used to eating with the other kids.
It's better that way.
My husband can 't object.
Does your son eat lunch at school?
Yes, he always has. He's not fussy,
and neither was my husband.
Oh, mine isn't either. It's all those kids.
But what can you do, you know?
At least there are ways these days.
Well, I've gotta go.
Bye.
Excuse me.
I'd like a ball of yarn this color.
I think I saw some over there.
- This color? - Yes.
Yes, that's it.
Good-bye, ma'am.
Hello.
See you next Thursday.
A bag of potatoes, please.
Here you are.
Thank you.
Mother?
Your hair's a mess.
I let the potatoes cook too long.
Don't read while you eat.
You'll have to wait a bit.
The meat and vegetables were on a very low flame.
Just another minute or two.
I could have made mashed potatoes, but we're having that tomorrow.
You must be hungry. You had swimming this morning.
I didn't go. Neither did Yan.
Why?
Yan skipped it just to keep me company.
I said I had a headache, and we stayed in the nurse's office.
We had to pass our certification today.
I don't like you doing that.
I should write back to Aunt Fernande.
The potatoes should be done now.
Aren't we going to listen to the radio today?
Yes.
Is something wrong? Maybe it's the radio.
Yes, it could be that singer.
No, I just don't know how to reply to their invitation.
Can we not go tonight? We ate so late.
We're going.
Come home early tomorrow if you like, and bring Yan along for a snack.
I think Yan's in love with the nurse.
He didn't catch the streetcar. Said he had things to do.
But when I passed by later, he hadn't left.
He bought a book that explains lots of things
about climaxes and orgasms.
He says we should be interested in women at our age,
but he doesn't want some young girl.
He says a man's penis is like a sword.
The deeper you thrust it in, the better.
But I thought, “A sword hurts.”
He said, “True, but it's like fire.”
But then where's the pleasure?
There's no point talking about these things.
He's the one who told me everything when I was 10.
I said, “What? Dad does that to Morn?”
I hated Dad for months after that, and I wanted to die.
When he died, I thought it was punishment from God.
Now I don't even believe in God anymore.
Yan also said it wasn't just to make babies.
So I started having nightmares so you'd stay with me at night
and Dad wouldn't have a chance to thrust inside you.
You shouldn't have worried.
It's late. I'm turning out the light.
All right.
Mom?
It's late, Sylvain. Sleep well.
End of the second day
Did you wash your hands?
Your button.
Sylvain!
- All sold out? - ls it empty?
A small loaf, ma'am?
Do you have a bag?
You have a bag?
Give me a new one.
That's 10 francs 50.
- Thanks. - Good-bye.
What a beautiful little boy!
What's this all about?
Thanks. Good-bye.
Oh, miss?
Yes, ma'am.
Would you happen to have a button like this?
I've looked, but I couldn't find any.
- Maybe these? - No, they're a bit too small.
Good-bye.
I know it's hard to match it perfectly,
because my sister Fernande sent it from Canada.
She sent it years ago, but Sylvain's only wearing it now
because it was too large.
When Sylvain was six, my sister came back to Belgium for three months.
He slept in our room - my husband was still alive.
And Fernande slept on the couch with Jonathan - “Jon” for short.
Jon was five, but he was taller and stouter than Sylvain.
So if I write her for one,
it's quite possible that this style no longer exists.
Since people always say Europe is five years behind America,
I thought I might find one.
It's practically impossible to find the same thing.
Better just to change all the buttons.
It makes a garment look new.
Like going to the hairdresser's.
I've never seen buttons like that.
Try in the square. You might find some there.
Isn't Gisèle here today?
She gets off work at 4:00.
I see. Coffee, please.
Here you are.